Sheet conveying device for printing machines



April 12, 1938. 1 RADICE ET AL SHEET CONVEYING DEVICE FOR PRINTING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 26, 1937 April 12, 1938. P. RADICE ET AL 2,113,902

- SHEET CONVEYING DEVICE FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 26, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 12, 1938 SHEET CONVEYING DEVICE FOR PRINTING MACHINES Primol Radice, Milan,

Italy, and Hermann Schwerdt, Berlin-Falkensee, Germany, assignors to the firm Adrema Masehinenbauges m. b.

11., Berlin, Germany Application October 26, 1937, Serial No. 171,128 In' Germany October 15, 1936 9 Claims.

side of the table, there is no difficultyabout arranging the said conveying means, since the striplike sheets or the like which are to be printed, are conveyed from one longitudinal side of the table to the other, and printed at the printing station with several impressions arranged in sequence in thelongitudinal direction of the sheets, the arrangement is difiicultin machines in whichthe printing plates are conducted one behind the other from one transverse side of the table to the other, because the supply container for the printing plates projects from the table in the vicinity of one of the transverse sides.

It is an object of our invention to provide conveying means suitable for the last-mentioned type of machine.

Heretofore, it has been attempted to solve the problem underlying the invention by conducting the sheets to be provided with the several impressions in the longitudinal direction of the machine table, i. e., above the track of the printing plates.

This involves the drawbacks that the sheets completely conceal the printing plates and that it is necessary to conduct the sheets above the supply contai er for the printing plates.

5 A so utionwhich does not involve the aforesaid drawbacks is provided by our invention in which the sheets are delivered from a container 'for a supply of sheets arranged at or near the front longitudinal side of the table, to conveyer 9 belts arranged at right angles to the direction same time the sheet is engaged by clamping means holding it against the conveyers, and ejected. Automatic means which may be connected to the ,sheet-delivering means, are prohave been made side by side on the sheet. The check, or checks, is now withdrawn and at the vided for alternately placing into active position the check and the clamping means. I

Other advantages of our novel feeding device are that it does not require any extra space in the longitudinal direction of the machine so that 5 it can be adapted to the table of a normal printing machine; that it can be made as a unit which is readily attached to, and detached from, the table of an existing printing machine; and that its construction is quite simple.

In the accompanying drawings, two machines embodying our invention are illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings Fig 1 is a perspective illustration of a machine in which two checks for arresting the sheets at a printing station are mountedto oscillate about a shaft,

Figs. 2 and 3 are details of the machine in Fig. 1 showing, respectively, one of the checks in active, and the corresponding clamping means in inactive position, and vice versa; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective illustration showing part of a machine which is similar to the one shown in Fig. 1 but in which one of the checks is secured to a spring, and controlled by the means for shifting the sheets.

Referring now to the drawings, and first to Figs. 1 to 3, l is a table of themachine, and 9 is its front longitudinal side. 2 is the printing arm,

and 4 is a hopper on the table I for the reception of a supply of printing plates 3. The mechanism by which the printing arm is reciprocated, and the mechanism by which the printing plates 3 are moved in their longitudinal direction and transversely to the sides of the table I, as indicated by arrow 5 in Fig. 1, past a printing station 6, will not be described as they form no part of the present invention.

A supply of sheets I to be printed is stored in a container arranged at the front side 9 of the table I, with a front plate A and a side wall 8. The machine is supposed to be an address-printing machine and each sheet I is to receive three impressions at I, II. and HI so that each plate 3 to be printed remains at the station 6 during the making of these three impressions.

Arranged before the front plate A of the supply container are a pair'of delivering rollers H] on a shaft 40 mounted to rotate in.a pair of brackets at the sides of the supply container. Rotation'in the direction of arrows 4| is imparted to the shaft 40 by any suitable means, not shown.

A cylinder I4 is rotatably mounted below the delivering rollers l0 and partly projects from the table I. Four endless conveyer belts ll, I2, 26, and 21 are placed about the cylinder l4-and a corresponding cylinder, not shown, at the opposite end-and their upper reaches move in the direction of arrows 3 at right angles to the direction .5 in which the printing plates 3 move toward the printing station 6.

The foremost sheet I in the supply container is delivered to the three belts ll, l2, and 26, and conveyed to the printing statiodl with the assistance of suitable rollers l5, l6, l6 above the belts. At the printing station, where it assumes the position 1', the sheet is' arrested by a fixed stop I8 anda pair of movable checks l9. At the same time, the delivering rollers M are stopped by any suitable means, not shown, so that the subsequent sheet from the supply container is not engaged for the present.

The movable checks l9 against which the sheet in the position I abuts with its leading edge II, this being one of its longer sides, are secured to a bar 20 which has eyes 20' at opposite ends by which it is mounted to oscillate about a shaft 22 mounted in a pair of brackets 23 on the table I.

Keyed on the shaft 22 in the vicinity of the bracket 23 at the right is a crank 23 whose crank pin 28' engages a substantially triangular member 29 with a slot 3|. A pin 23' connects this member 29 to an arm 3lI-which is an extension of the eye 20' at the right of the bar 26, its slot 3| clearing the shaft 22. Secured to the member 28 is a push rod 32 at its front end. The rear end of the push rod 32 is pivotally connected to an arm 35 on a shaft 36 mounted to rotate on the table I. A spring 34 tends to pull the push rod 32 against the arrow 33. 31 is a lever on the shaft 36, 38 is a roller on the free end of the lever, and

39 is a cam on the shaft 43 of the delivering rollers III for cooperation with the roller 33. The central portion of the shaft 22 is a bar 24, of square cross-section, and on'the bar are mounted the brackets of three rollers 23 for clamping the sheets against the belts I3, 26, and 21, respectively.

The intermittently operating means for shifting the sheets longitudinally will now be described Mounted to rotate on suitable brackets on the table arranged between the belts H and I2, and at the right of the belt 21, are short shafts 44. Keyed on the shaft which is between the belts II and I2 is a sector 42, and keyed on the other shaft is a sector 43, with backing rollers 49 and 50, respectively. 46 is a shaft mounted in the brackets, 45 are bevel gearings connecting it to the sector shafts 44, and 41 is a cord'pulley, or sprocket, forrotating the shaft 46.

The sectors 42 and 43 may be so designed that they can be adjusted radially and/or axially, and they may be disks with sheet-engaging portions projecting from the rim of the disk, as will be described with reference to Fig; 4.

The operation of the conveying device is as follows: A sheet I delivered from the supply container by the rollers l l is engaged by the belts l I, I2, and 26 and the corresponding rollers l5, l6, and I6, and conveyed to the printing station 6 where it occupies the position I, with its leading edge I? abutting against stop It and checks I 9, as described. The sector 42 is elevated at the time and so does not interfere with the advancing sheet. The checks I! are on the table, and the clamping rollers 25 are in elevated position, as shown. in Fig. 2. The delivering rollers III are stopped, the printing arm 2 descends and makes the first impression at I. The sector 42 has continued its rotation in the direction of the arrow 48 until it engages the sheet between its rim and the backing roller 49, and shifts it in the direction of arrow 5! The second impression is now made at II and, after another operation of the sector 42 assisted by the sector 43 and its backing roller 50, the third impression is made at III. The finished sheet occupies the position 1", its leading edge I'l clearing the stop l8 and the belt II but not the checks IS. The delivering rollers I are re-started, and the cam 39 on its shaft 40, through roller 38, am 31, shaft 36, and push rod 32 which is moved in the direction 33 against spring 34, through the member 29 and the crank 28 lifts the checks l9 away from the table and depresses the three rollers 25, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the sheet is now clamped between the belts I2, 26, and 21, and the corresponding clamping rollers, and ejected in the direction of arrow 52.

Referring now to Fig. 4, the general arrangement of this machine is quite similar to the one described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3, but the shifting sectors are modified. Only the sector 48' at the right is shown but it is understood that the sector at the left is quite similar.

This sector is, properly speaking, a disc with a sector-shaped rib 50 extending over part of its rim. Its position is also different in that it is between the belt 26 and 21, and not at the right of belt 21, as in Fig. 1.

Only the check l9 at the left is provided here and is controlled by the push rod 32, as described.

Instead of the check at the right, a check plate 53 is secured to a spring 54. The spring, in turn, is attached to an angle bar 56 on the table I to which also the spring 34 of the push rod 32 is anchored. The spring tends to hold the check plate 53 down against the table I. At the rear end of the spring plate 53, a slotted guide 56 is provided. In this guide engages a pin at the lower end of a slide 51 which is placed on an extension 59 of the sector shaft 40 with a slot 53. its upper end, another pin 60 is arranged for cooperation with a cam 6| on the. shaft extension 59.

While normally the sheet I in the corresponding printing position, it is elevated during each revolution of the sector in the direction of the arrow, when the sheet I is to be shifted in the direction of arrow 5|, or the finished sheet is ejected in the direction of arrows l3 and .52, exactly as in the machine described with reference to Fig. 1.

We claim:

1. In a sheet-conveying device for printing machines which are equipped with a printing mechanism and with mechanism for moving printing plates past a printing station in their longitudinal direction; a table, a container for a supply of sheets on the table, conveyer belts arranged with their upper reaches above the table and at right angles to the direction in which the printing plates move, means for moving the upper reaches from the supply container toward the printing station, means for delivering a sheetat a time from the supply container to the upper reaches of the belts with one of its longer edges leading, a movable check for arresting the sheet when it has arrived at the printing station where the first impression is made, intermittently operating means for shifting the 'sheet longitudinally until all impressions have been made thereon, movable means for clamping the finished sheets check plate 53 holds the against certain belts, and automatic means for 76 alternately placing into active position the check and the clamping means.

2. In a sheet-conveying device for printing machines which are equipped with a printing mechanism and with mechanism for moving printing plates past a printing station in their longitudinal direction; .a table, a container for a supply of,

sheets on the table, conveyer belts arranged with their upper reaches above the table and at right angles to the direction in which the printing plates move, means for moving the upper reaches from-the supply container toward the printing station, means for delivering a sheet at a time from the supply container to the upper reaches of the belts with one of its longer edges leading, a movable check for arresting the sheet when it has arrived at the printing station where the first impression is made, intermittently operating means for shifting the sheet longitudinally until all impressions have been made thereon, movable means for clampingjhefinished sheets against certain belts, and means operatively connected to the sheet-delivering means for alternately placing into active position the check and the clamp-- ing means.

3. In a sheet-conveying device for printing machines-which are equipped with a printing mechanism and with mechanism for moving printing plates pasta printing station in their longitudinal direction; a table, a container for a supply of sheets on the table, conveyer belts arranged withtheir upper reaches above the table and at right angles to the directionin'" which the printing plates move, means for moving the upper reaches from the supply container toward the printing station, means for delivering a sheet at atime from the supply container to the upper reaches of the belts with one of its longer edges leading, a movable check for arresting the sheet when it has arrived at the printing station where the first impression is made, sectors for intermittently shifting the sheet longitudinally until all impres-. sions have been made thereon, movable means for clamping the finished sheets against certain belts,

and automatic means for alternately placing into active position'the check and the clamping means.

4. In a sheet-conveying device for printing machines which are equipped with aprinting mechanism and with mechanism for moving printing plates past a printing station in their longitudinal direction; a table, a container for a supply'of sheets on the table, conveyer belts arranged with theirupper reaches above the table and atright angles to the direction in which the printing plates move, partly below the supply container and partly at one side thereof," means for moving the upper reaches of all belts in the direction from the supply container toward the printing station, means for delivering a sheet at a time from the supply container to the upper reaches of the belts below the container, with one of its longeredges leading, a movable check for arresting the sheet when it has arrived at the printing station where the first impression is made, intermittently operating means for shifting the sheet in the direction away from the belts-which are below the con tainer, until all impressions have been made on the sheet, movable means for clamping the finished sheets against certain belts, and automatic means for alternately placing into active position the check and the clamping means.

5. In a sheet-conveying device for printing ma.- chines which are equipped with a printing mechanism and with mechanism for moving printing plates past a printing station in their longitudinal direction; a table, a container for a supply of sheets on the table, conveyer belts arranged with their upper reaches above the table and at right angles to the'direction in which the printing plates move, means for moving the upper reaches from the supply container toward the printing station, means for delivering a sheet at a time from the supply container to the upper reaches of the belts with one of 'its longer edges leading, a fixed stop and a movable check arranged side by side for arresting the sheet when it has arrived at the printing station where the first impression is made, intermittently operating means for shifting the sheet longitudinally and clear of the fixed stop until all impr'essions have been 'made thereon, movable means for clamping the finished sheets against certain belts, and automatic means for alternately placing into active position the movable check and the clamping means.

reaches from the supply container toward the printing'station, means for, delivering a sheet at a time from the supply container to the upper reaches of the belt with one of its. longer edges leading. a shaft mounted to rotate above the table at the rear of the printing station, a bar mounted. to oscillate about the shaft, a check on the bar for arresting the sheet when it has arrived at the printing station where the first impression is made, intermittently operating means for shifting the. sheet longitudinally until all' impressions have been made thereon, rollers supported by the shaft for clamping the finished sheets against certain belts; and automatic means for turning the barand the shaft in opposite directions, so as to alternately place into active position the check and the rollers:

7. In a sheet-conveying device for printing machines which are equipped with a printing mechanism and with mechanism for moving printing plates past a printing station intheir longitudinal direction; a table, a container'for a supply of sheets on the table, conveyer belts arranged with their upper reaches above the table and at right angles tov the direction in which the pi inting plates move, means for moving the upper reaches from the supply container. toward the printing station, means for delivering a sheet at a time from the supply container to the upper reaches,

of the belts with one of itslonger edges leading,

. ing the sheets longitudinally until all impressions have been made thereon, rollers supported by the shaft for clamping the finished sheets against certain belts, an arm projecting from the bar, a crank, projecting from the shaft in the direction opposite in that of the arm, a push rod, a memher on the push rod pivotally connected to' the arm and the crank, a cam operatively connected to the sheet-delivering means, and means operatively connected. to the cam for operating the push rod.

8. In a sheet-conveying device for printing machines which are equipped with a printing mechanism and with mechanism for moving printing plates past a. printing station in their longitudinal direction; a table, a container for a supply of sheets on the table, conveyer belts arranged with their upper reaches above the table and at rightangles to the direction in which the printing plates move, means for moving the upper reaches from the supply container toward the printing station, means for delivering a sheet at a time from the supply container to the upper reaches of the belts with one of its longer edges leading, a movable check for arresting the sheet when it has arrived at the station where the first impression is made, a shaft mounted above the table transversely to the belts, means for rotating the shaft, sector shafts, bevel gearing connecting each sector shaft to the transverse shaft, a sector on each sector shaft, and a backing roller for each sector arranged in the table for intermit tently shifting the sheet longitudinally until all impressions have been made thereon, movable means for clamping the finished sheets against certain belts, and automatic means for alternately placing into active position the check and the clamping means.

9. In a sheet-conveying device for printing machines which are equipped with a printing mechanism and with mechanism for moving printing plates past a printing station in their longitudinal direction; a table, a container for a supply of sheets on the table, conveyer belts arranged with their upper reaches above the table and, at right angles to the direction in which the printing plates move, means for moving the upper reaches from the supply container toward the printing station, means for delivering a sheet at a time from the supply container to the upper reaches of the belts with one of its longer edges leading, a movable check for arresting the sheet when it has arrived at the printing station where the first impression is made, rotary intermittentlyoperating means for shifting the sheet longitudinally until all impressions have been made thereon, a check plate, a spring forcing the check plate against the sheet during the intervals of its intermittent shifting movement, a cam operatively connected to the rotary shifting means, mechanism operatively connected to the cam for lifting the check plate from the sheet during its shifting movement, movable means for clamping the finished sheets against certain belts, and automatic means for alternately placing into active position the check and the clamping means.

PRIIVIO RADICE. HERMANN SCHWERDT. 

